Hi I was just wandering with all the fine guitarist we have today who would be the best gospel players.I know there has to be many and I would like you folks to make kind of a small group you think are tops

I would highly recommend Bob Dennis as one of the best gospel guitarist around! Just GOOGLE his name or go on E-Bay and you can buy one of his CD's. You will really like his playing! Also, a couple'a fellow Okies I highly recommend are Richard Hudson and Chuck Schwickerath. Richard has more moves than a bus load'a hoochie-koochie dancers. He plays a Country Gentleman 6122-1959 thru a 25L15 amp. Chuck is a sho-nuff gospel picker who also plays thru a Country Gentleman and 25L15 that he built himself!!! Go to YouTube and watch these guys and be impressed!!! Course, I might be a little biased being an Okie myself. But Richard and Chuck can really play! Two of my favorites!!! Steve

Bob, I agree with Steve about Bob Dennis, he's one of the very best in my book! Especially if you like Chet Atkins style gospel guitar. I agree about Richard being a great gospel picker too! Of course Dwayne Friend is still around and still pickin'. He's one of my favorite gospel guitarist. Also Ernie Maxwell. Don't forget Richard Kiser and Ray Cummins. Roger Hardin also plays a lot of gospel. (Once several years ago Dwayne Friend was playing out in the hallway at CAAS with Roger. Dwayne handed me his guitar and wanted me to pick with Roger. I must say, I was blown away, Roger is a super picker!)

Steve, I'm honored and humbled that I'm on your list. Gospel is pretty much all I do. I play at church every service, Sunday morning, Sunday evening & Wednesday nights. We have a lot of gospel guitarist here in Oklahoma that play in Holiness/Pentecostal churches. I don't want to start naming them, I'll leave someone out. We have a couple of gospel guitar jams here in Oklahoma, one at Depew in the Spring and one at Kellyville in the Fall. A lot of great pickers, many different styles, but quite a few based on Chet Atkins / Merle Travis.

I'm sure there are some great gospel players lurking here on the Chetboard that we don't here from much or haven't heard. I'm going to start another topic to see how many primarily gospel players there are here on the Chetboard.